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Jim Milton
Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett star in TRUTH, based on a riveting true story of one of network news’ biggest scandals. As a renowned producer and close associate of Dan Rather (Redford), Mary Mapes (Blanchett) believes she’s broken the biggest story of the 2004 election: revelations of a sitting U.S. President’s falsified military service records. But when allegations come pouring in, sources change their stories, document authenticity is questioned, and the casualties begin to mount. This dramatic thriller goes behind the scenes to expose the intricacies of journalistic integrity and what it takes to reveal the TRUTH.
1080p, DTS-MA 5.1, 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio
2016, Color, Rated R, 2 hours and 5 min.
Starring: Cate Blanchette, Robert Redford, Toper Grace & Dennis Quaid
Directed by: James Vanderbuilt
Rating
Violence: None
Sex: Brief nude photo
Language: Yes
This film has been compared to All the President’s Men, another famous story about journalists uncovering a scandal (Watergate). Redford starred in that film, too. This one is about the downfall of CBS, and Dan Rather in particular. It does convey the pressures of fact checking, deadlines and sources that change their minds at the last minute, but it also tells a cautionary tale of the importance of the media in America and how the media can shape the perception of the public. In this case, during the 2004 re-election bid of Geo. W. Bush, the liberal media went after him with a vengeance. Unfortunately, the desire to destroy him overshadowed the real truth, which in the age of the internet, allowed for bloggers to expose the shoddy fact checking that ultimately brought down a icon in journalism; Dan Rather. Sure, Rather put his complete trust in his investigative team which let him down, but he went on live TV to report it.
The movie tries to end with swelling patriotic music so you, the viewer, will feel sorry for their plight which was caused by the conservative right-wingers that exposed the fraud. But when the truth gets twisted by the Left or the Right, we all as Americans should feel betrayed. The acting is excellent and the script well written. It is definitely well worth your time to see this film, not only for the great performances, but the interesting story line as well. Timely and recommended!
The picture and sound quality are exemplary. Colors and flesh tones are nicely rendered. Only in a few of the darker scenes did some of the details disappear in the shadows. Dark suits against dark backgrounds, in particular. Sound is clear and the ambient sounds of the newsroom keep all of your surround system happy.
There are a few deleted scenes and a featurette: The Reason for Being. Sony also manages to cram several “coming soon” previews in at the beginning of the movie.